Outspoken Journalist Claims Gatland Should Have Been Named Coach Of The Year

Robbed.

Eddie Jones was last week named 2017 World Rugby Coach of the Year, but claimed he didn’t deserve the award as his England side were not ranked number one in the world.

Instead he reckons the man who coaches the number one team in the world, All Blacks boss Steve Hansen, should have been handed the prestigious award.

Meanwhile, outspoken New Zealand journalist Chris Rattue, believes another man should have won it. Lions boss and fellow Kiwi Warren Gatland, considering he beat the All Blacks, while Jones didn’t even face them.

“The winner should have been Warren Gatland, whose underrated feat in stirring the British and Irish Lions to a series draw in New Zealand pipped all other achievements this year.

Yes, England won the Six Nations…but significantly without a clean sweep.

And England often win the Six Nations, or should. They are the powerhouses of European rugby, over-resourced heavyweights against cut-price neighbours and an Italian punching bag.”

“Gatland has an image problem, for whatever reasons.”

“But he pulled a series draw out of a hat after his Lions were universally touted as cannon fodder in New Zealand, the hardest place to tour by far. Graham Henry called the 10-match assignment a “suicide mission”.”